Kingston upon Thames 11 plus (11+) guide

Thinking about a grammar school in Kingston upon Thames for your child? This guide walks you through how the system works, key dates for entry, and how to support your child through the 11+.

In this guide, you'll find:

• How the Kingston upon Thames grammar school system works
• Key 11+ dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
• Which schools use the 11+ in Kingston upon Thames
• What your child will be tested on
• How the exam is scored and how places are allocated
• Practical ways to support your child's 11+ preparation

Kingston upon Thames grammar schools

There are two grammar schools in Kingston upon Thames:

• Tiffin School (boys)
• The Tiffin Girls' School (girls)

Both schools use their own two-stage entrance exam. All applicants take a stage one test, and those who score highly enough are invited to take a stage two test. Each school has its own registration process and timeline, though the exam format is similar for both.

If you are also considering grammar schools in neighbouring areas, such as Sutton grammar schools, you will need to register separately for each school you apply to.

Key dates for 2027 entry

• Tuesday 2nd June 2026: The Tiffin Girls' School stage one test registration opens
• Friday 5th June 2026: Tiffin School stage one test registration opens (including sports and music aptitude assessments)
• Monday 6th July 2026: Tiffin School early registration deadline for sports and music aptitude assessments
• Tuesday 7th July 2026: The Tiffin Girls' School open evening (4.30–7.30pm, no booking required)
• Wednesday 8th July 2026: Tiffin School part one music aptitude assessment
• Friday 10th July 2026: Tiffin School part two music aptitude assessment
• Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th July 2026: Tiffin School sports aptitude assessments
• Tuesday 1st September 2026: The Tiffin Girls' School stage one test registration closes (12 noon)
• Friday 4th September 2026: Tiffin School stage one test registration closes (12 noon)
• Friday 18th September 2026: Tiffin School applicants receive stage one test day arrangements by email; sports and music aptitude results released
• Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd October 2026: The Tiffin Girls' School stage one tests (your daughter will be invited on one of these two dates)
• Friday 2nd October 2026: Tiffin School stage one tests
• On or around Wednesday 14th October 2026: The Tiffin Girls' School parents notified if their daughter is invited to stage two
• Friday 16th October 2026: Tiffin School parents notified if their son is invited to stage two
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• November 2026: stage two tests for both schools (for invited candidates)
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

Please note: stage two tests for both schools take place in November 2026, after the common application deadline of 31st October. If you wish to apply to either school, you should name it on your application form before the 31st October deadline, ahead of receiving your stage two result.

Dates may be subject to change. Always check with your target school for the latest information.

What is the 11 plus?

The 11 plus is an academic entrance test used by grammar schools to assess children for Year 7 entry. Children who pass the test or meet a qualifying standard are eligible to apply for a place.

The test is taken in October of Year 6. Children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 will sit the stage one entrance test in October 2026 for entry to Year 7 in September 2027.

Both Tiffin schools set their own entrance exams internally — neither uses an external exam provider such as GL Assessment. Both entrance exams assess English and maths only, across two stages. The schools are highly competitive and frequently oversubscribed with qualified candidates.

What's on the Kingston 11+?

Both schools use a two-stage process, with stage one taking place in early October and stage two in November for shortlisted candidates. The entrance exams are set internally by each school.

Tiffin School

Stage one (Friday 2nd October 2026)

The stage one test consists of two one-hour multiple-choice papers, both created by Tiffin School:

• English: reading comprehension and language questions based on Key Stage 2 content
• Maths: arithmetic, problem-solving and mathematical reasoning based on Key Stage 2 content

Your son will record his answers on a separate answer sheet, which is marked electronically.

Stage two (mid-November 2026, by invitation)

Boys shortlisted from stage one are invited to take the stage two exam. This also consists of two one-hour papers — one English and one maths — both created by Tiffin School. These papers are not multiple-choice; your son will write his answers directly on the paper.

Sports and music aptitude assessments

Up to 5% of places at Tiffin School are awarded to boys who demonstrate an aptitude in sport, and up to 5% to boys who demonstrate an aptitude in music. To be considered, your son must register for the relevant assessment by the early deadline of Monday 6th July 2026 and still perform to the required standard in the main entrance exams.

The sports aptitude assessments take place on 13th and 14th July 2026. The assessments are not sport-specific; no particular skills or coaching are required.

The music aptitude assessments take place on 8th and 10th July 2026. Boys complete a written assessment and listen to a range of pitches, melodies, rhythms and textures. No prior instrumental lessons are required.

The Tiffin Girls' School

Stage one (Thursday 1st or Friday 2nd October 2026)

The stage one test is a multiple-choice paper created by The Tiffin Girls' School. Your daughter will record her answers on a separate answer sheet, which is marked electronically. The exam covers:

• English: reading comprehension, vocabulary and inference questions based on a passage of text
• Maths: arithmetic, problem-solving and mathematical reasoning based on Key Stage 2 content up to the end of Year 5

Stage two (November 2026, by invitation)

Girls who score highly enough in stage one are invited to take the stage two exam. This consists of written English and maths papers set internally by the school. These are not multiple-choice — your daughter will write her answers directly on the paper.

How is the Kingston 11+ scored?

Both schools mark their stage one papers electronically and age-standardise the raw scores, which means younger children are not disadvantaged. Candidates are then ranked in order of their combined stage one scores, and those with the highest scores are shortlisted for stage two.

After stage two, results from both stages are combined and re-standardised to produce a final score. Each school weights the final result differently:

• Tiffin School: the combined mark is weighted 50% English and 50% maths. The English mark comes from stage two only; the maths mark is drawn from both stages in a ratio of 2:3
• The Tiffin Girls' School: the combined mark is weighted 60% English and 40% maths. The English mark comes from stage two only; the maths mark is drawn from stage two and stage one in a ratio of 3:1

Children are then ranked in order of their final weighted scores.

What's the pass mark for the Kingston 11+?

There’s no single fixed pass mark. Instead:

• All children’s age-standardised scores are ranked.
• Each school sets its own qualifying score.

,Both Tiffin schools are highly competitive and frequently oversubscribed with qualified candidates, so being invited to stage two does not guarantee a place. Where a school receives more applications than places available, it will allocate places using its oversubscription criteria.

Both schools have a catchment area, and places are almost always offered to children who live within the designated area. We always recommend reviewing your target school's admissions policy carefully before applying.

How to apply to Kingston grammar schools

If you're considering a Kingston grammar school for your child, it's a good idea to speak to your child's teacher first. Grammar schools are academically selective and select children working towards the top of their year group. Your child's teacher can indicate whether they think your child will be able to keep up with the pace at a grammar school.

1. Register for the 11+

Each school has its own registration process. Registration forms are available on each school's website.

Key registration dates for 2027 entry:

• Tiffin School: registration opens Friday 5th June 2026 and closes Friday 4th September 2026 (12 noon). If applying for sports or music aptitude places, register by Monday 6th July 2026
• The Tiffin Girls' School: registration opens Tuesday 2nd June 2026 and closes Tuesday 1st September 2026 (12 noon)

2. Apply for school places

You will be notified in mid-October 2026 whether your child has been shortlisted for stage two. You can then list your preferred school on your secondary school common application form (CAF), which must be submitted to your home local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026. You do not need to wait for stage two results before submitting your application.

Before listing a school on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible.

3. National school offers day

On Monday 1st March 2027, you'll be informed which secondary school your child has been allocated.

If your preferred school isn't offered, your child will receive another local school place, and you'll be given information about how to appeal.

How can I help my child prepare for the Kingston 11+?

The 11+ can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be stressful.

Here are some practical ways to support your child in a calm, structured way.

Stay on track with a clear revision plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation isn't motivation – it's knowing what to work on, when, and how to stay consistent without it taking over family life.

A clear plan helps your child build skills in the right order and avoid last-minute cramming.

With Atom's Exam Plan, you enter your child's exam date and target schools, and Atom builds a personalised weekly plan based on the key skills they'll be tested on. It adapts as they improve and shows them exactly what to focus on each week.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path to exam day.

Build 11+ exam technique with realistic practice papers

Once your child feels secure with the main topics, paper practice tests help them feel more confident with the exam format.

Atom's 11+ practice papers are designed to reflect real test conditions. Parents simply photograph their child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom for instant marking.

You'll get:

• a Standardised Age Score (SAS)
• clear insight into strengths and areas for improvement
• a comparison with other children applying to the same schools

The papers are unlimited, meaning your child can practise again and again with new questions each time.

Encourage regular reading for 11+ English success

Strong reading skills underpin almost every part of the 11+.

Encourage your child to read for 10–15 minutes a day, focusing on variety – fiction, non-fiction, different genres and authors.

This helps build:

• vocabulary
• comprehension and inference
• confidence with unfamiliar texts

If you're looking for ideas, Atom's recommended reading lists for Years 3–6 include a wide range of age-appropriate books.

Celebrate progress, not just 11+ scores

When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction.

Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple view of how your child is doing across topics and how their performance is developing over time.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady and focus on consistent improvement – not just one-off test results.